Method and assembly for disconnecting a battery from its operating system
First Claim
1. An automatic battery disconnect assembly (10) for disconnecting a battery (12) from the electrical load (14) associated with a vehicle (15) and engine (31) therefor when the battery (12) drops below a predetermined voltage, said assembly (10) comprising:
- a battery terminal (16) for connection to a battery (12);
an electrical load terminal (20) for supplying all electrical power to a vehicle (15);
a main circuit (22) electrically connecting said terminals (16,20) and including circuit breaker means (24) movable between an open position and a closed position for opening said main circuit (22) to disconnect said battery terminal (16) from said electrical load terminal (20);
voltage measuring means (32) for measuring the voltage available at said battery terminal (16) for opening said circuit breaker mans (24) in response to measuring a predetermined low voltage;
voltage sensing means (48) for sensing a change in voltage at said electrical load terminal (20) due to a predetermined change in load (14), said assembly (10) characterized bytrigger circuit means (43,44,46,48) for producing an alarm signal only when said circuit breaker means (24) is open and when said voltage sensing means (48) senses said predetermined change in load (14) applied to said electrical load terminal (20).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery disconnect circuit (10) is shown for disconnecting a battery (12) from an electrical load (14). A voltage measuring circuit (32) constantly measures the voltage of the battery (12). When the voltage reaches a predetermined voltage, proportional to the stored electrochemical energy sufficient to start a vehicle one time, a circuit breaker (24) disconnects the battery (12). An inhibitor (53) senses the operation of the engine (31) through an electret microphone (94) and inhibits the circuit breaker (24) from opening. An alarm disabler (58) senses the state of the circuit breaker (24), i.e., whether the circuit breaker (24) is open or closed, and disables the alarm (42) if the circuit breaker (24) is closed. A trigger (41) through a sensor (R1) sensing a drop in voltage due to an operator trying to activate the starting subsystem (30), activates the alarm (42) to notify the operator that the battery (12) has been disconnected. The activation of the alarm (42) only occurs in the presence of the operator.
33 Citations
47 Claims
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1. An automatic battery disconnect assembly (10) for disconnecting a battery (12) from the electrical load (14) associated with a vehicle (15) and engine (31) therefor when the battery (12) drops below a predetermined voltage, said assembly (10) comprising:
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a battery terminal (16) for connection to a battery (12); an electrical load terminal (20) for supplying all electrical power to a vehicle (15); a main circuit (22) electrically connecting said terminals (16,20) and including circuit breaker means (24) movable between an open position and a closed position for opening said main circuit (22) to disconnect said battery terminal (16) from said electrical load terminal (20); voltage measuring means (32) for measuring the voltage available at said battery terminal (16) for opening said circuit breaker mans (24) in response to measuring a predetermined low voltage; voltage sensing means (48) for sensing a change in voltage at said electrical load terminal (20) due to a predetermined change in load (14), said assembly (10) characterized by trigger circuit means (43,44,46,48) for producing an alarm signal only when said circuit breaker means (24) is open and when said voltage sensing means (48) senses said predetermined change in load (14) applied to said electrical load terminal (20). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An automatic battery disconnect assembly (10) for disconnecting a battery (12) from the electrical load (14) associated with a vehicle (15) and engine (31) therefor when the battery (12) drops below a predetermined voltage, said assembly (10) comprising:
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a battery terminal (16) for connection to a battery (12); an electrical load terminal (20) for supplying all electrical power to a vehicle (15); a main circuit (22) electrically connecting said terminals (16,20) and including circuit breaker means (24) movable between an open position and a closed position for opening said main circuit (22) to disconnect said battery terminal (16) from said electrical load terminal (20); voltage measuring means (32) for measuring the voltage available at said battery terminal (16) for opening said circuit breaker mans (24) in response to measuring a predetermined low voltage; voltage sensing means (48) for sensing a change in voltage at said electrical load terminal (20) due to a predetermined change in load (14), said assembly (10) characterized by trigger circuit means (43,44,46,48) interconnecting said terminals independently of said main circuit (22) for producing an audible sound alarm only when said circuit breaker means (24) is open and when said voltage sensing means (48) senses said predetermined change in load applied to said electrical load terminal (20) and inhibiting means (54,56,46,48) for preventing said voltage measuring means (32) from opening said main circuit (22) and including vibration sensing means (94) for sensing sound vibrations produced by the operation of the engine (31).
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18. An automatic battery disconnect assembly (10) for disconnecting a battery (12) from the electrical load (14) associated with a vehicle (15) and engine (31) therefor when the battery (12) drops below a predetermined voltage, said assembly (10) comprising:
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an automotive vehicle (15); an engine (31) associated with said automotive vehicle (15) producing audible sound vibrations; a battery (12); an electrical operating system (14) electrically connected to said battery (12) for operating said engine (31); a starting subsystem (30) having a starting load switch (50) for starting said engine (31) upon the closing of said starting load switch (50); a battery terminal (16) for connection to said battery (12); an electrical load terminal (20) for supplying all electrical power to said electrical operating system (14); a main circuit (22) electrically connecting said terminals (16,20) and including circuit breaker means (24) movable between an open position and a closed position for opening said main circuit (22) to disconnect said battery terminal (16) from said electrical load terminal (20); voltage measuring means (32) for measuring the voltage available at said battery terminal (16) for opening said circuit breaker mans (24) in response to measuring a predetermined low voltage; voltage sensing means (48) for sensing a change in voltage at said electrical load terminal (20) due to a predetermined change in load (14), said assembly (10) characterized by trigger circuit means (43,44,46,48) interconnecting said terminals (16,20) independently of said main circuit (22) for producing an alarm signal only when said circuit breaker means (24) is open and when said voltage sensing means (48) senses the closing of said starting load switch (50) of said starting subsystem (30) and inhibiting means (54,56,46,48) for preventing said voltage measuring means (32) from opening said main circuit (22) and including vibration sensing means (94) for sensing sound vibrations produced by the operation of said engine (31).
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19. An automatic battery disconnect circuit (10) for disconnecting a battery (12) from the electrical load (14) associated with a vehicle (15) and engine (31) therefor when the battery (12) drops below a predetermined voltage, said assembly (10) comprising:
a circuit breaker (24) connected in series between the battery (12) and the electrical load circuit (14);
a resistor (R1) connected in parallel with said circuit breaker (24);
an A.C. amplifier (44,46) connected to said resistor (R1);
a voltage sensing circuit (48) connected to said A.C. amplifier (44,46);
a switchable alarm circuit (40) connected to said voltage sensing circuit (48);
a voltage measuring circuit (32) connected to the battery (12);
an alarm disabling circuit (48) connected to said circuit breaker (24) and said switchable alarm circuit (40) such that said switchable alarm circuit (40) is activated only when the circuit breaker (24) is open due to said voltage measuring circuit (32) measuring a predetermined low voltage and when said voltage sensor circuit (48) senses a predetermined change in load.- View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for automatically disconnecting a battery (12) from the electrical load (14) associated with a vehicle (15) and engine (31) therefor using a voltage measurer (32), a switchable circuit breaker (24) connected between the battery (12) and the electrical load (14), and a voltage sensor (48) for sensing changes in the electrical load (14), the method comprising the steps of:
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measuring the voltage of the battery (12) with a voltage measurer (32); comparing the voltage measured with a predetermined voltage level; opening the circuit breaker means (24) in response to the voltage measurer (12) measuring a voltage below the predetermined voltage level, the method characterized by producing an alarm signal only when the circuit breaker (24) is open and when a predetermined change in load applied to the electrical load (14) is sensed by a voltage sensor (48). - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification